Last to Live
by N. Catherine B
Summary: The Walking Dead Fanfiction (Different survival camp)... When the Winter is settling in, Seth must find a way to ensure everyone is safe from the walkers and keep Shasta from dying. But what will come of the group when romance, disaster and aggravation occurs amongst the members? What will happen if they don't leave camp? Worst of all, how will they live to last?
1. Chapter 1

The Walking Dead - Fan fiction

**Last to Live**

**1**

_Walkers Will Always Be Near_

**W**e can't just stay here!" Came a voice screaming loudly into Seth's ear. The argument of survival was now apparent to Ludolf. With his cruel and controlling tone, Seth was sure not to argue back. But not this time.

"Do you really think we have a choice? We can't travel with Shasta still sick." Seth's voice carried across the camp turning the heads of the other camp members. "What about our layout here? You have your own space to do whatever you do." He spoke wavering his arm in the air at Ludolf's tent.

"Do _you_ know the danger you put us all in with this decision to stay in the same location for nine months? The walkers will attack us here!" Ludolf argued with a growl. The camp only held eleven campers: scavenging families and quest set members who still have a purpose to live. Seth didn't want to have to care for others but with the growing numbers of people they'd come across, he had no choice but to help them; 'survival of the fittest' was no longer an option in the case of caring for your own family and sticking together to fight against the viral infection.

Seth and his family had already crossed nine states to get to safety. He had got the word that there was a Disease Control Centre in Atlanta but when they had finally reached their destination, all was abandoned. Walkers swarmed the area hungry for the human flesh they carried. Shasta had been ill for months but with the very limited resources, it was indeterminable what it was. But their layout wasn't all bad. With various tents held in place by the surrounding trees and wood-build fires that kept them warm all through the night. They had stolen hunting gear to hunt deer and other animals available in the wooded fields.

Seth crouched to the ground picking up twigs for the fire, "if you have such an issue with this decision, why don't you wander off before you cause any other problems around here?" His voice stern with warning. He may have had only one good swing but would use it on Ludolf any day. Eyebrows touching with rage, Ludolf stomped away. Seth didn't want to cause an argument with everyone who respected him around and especially with Ludolf. His stubborn fury seemed to aggravate everyone he spoke to.

Sunlight was setting and the rays of light that struck between the trees had faded. Lucette was tending to Shasta with the assistance of Margani. Shasta was only eleven years old but her immune system had the same battle power as a seventy-five year old person dying of old age. Beads of sweat slid down her face, "She must be in so much pain; the temperature is too low for a sweat." Margani whispered under her breath. With the strain of the thought of her little sister sleeping in pain, Lucette couldn't bare to watch the life flicker in and out of her paled skin.

"What do we do?" Lucette asked already knowing the outcome; Shasta wasn't going to survive the coming winter in the state she was in. They would have been lucky if she lived through the next couple weeks. Margani nodded at the frown on Lucette's face, eyes filled with soft, salty tears. Margani would have lost people too but she had her family with her.

"Mother," sounded a voice from behind the bush, "have you seen my..." Lola's voice trailed of vigorously with a glance at Lucette's face. Realisation hadn't quite hit her yet: people were dyeing all around us and she would be nagging about mud in her nails. Lola was only twelve but she should have known better.

Margani lifted her chin to the glow rising behind the trees, "Olufunmilda, please."

As Lola strolled away scowling to herself, her mother apologised "I'm very sorry, she can be a little... stressful at times. Whether she likes it or not, she will never have the life she had before."

Lucette jumped to her feet with a swift hand, swiping off the earth and moss attached to her cargo bottoms, "Can you keep an eye on Shasta? I need to talk to my dad about the hunt."

"Of course, whatever you need me for."

Lucette spotted her father chatting to Laurain. Although it was nice to see her father moving on, she couldn't stand Laurain. _Of all the women still left alive... Why her? _Lucette thought to herself. Laurain was nearly perfect in appearance with her shoulder-cut hair that shone in the morning sun like honey in a flu-soothing drink and her surgery-helped face. Well, she wasn't all too perfect and Lucette and Shasta could see right through her. In front of there father, Laurain was the mother Shasta never had. She was the women to teach us all about womanhood and the joys of children. But the only problem was that she herself couldn't stand them. It wasn't a surprise to Lucette though; the necklace around her throat was a shining stone covered in real emeralds. Clearly, Laurain had lived in luxury before this disaster. Or perhaps she stole it.

"Ah, Lucette." Her fathers voice low in tone, croaking with exhaustion.

She raised her hand pointing in the direction Laurain pranced towards, "You're off flirting with _her_ while Shasta lies ill?" Lucette's voice carried no further than the tall trees situated across from her.

"_She_ has a name, Lucette and you have no right to disrespect her in such a way!" Without a warning, he grit his teeth and dropped the collection of branchlet onto the soft, moist ground beneath where they stood.

"I'm sorry father but she isn't as kind as she puts out to be." _Not that she needs to put out anything more_ Lucette urged to say.

"I will no longer speak to you about this any more!" Seth's anger was growing in rage, but he sensed the eagerness for answers underneath the dark green eyes the laid upon him, "Look, she will never replace your mother but she is what is keeping me sane."

"You have got to be kidding..." Lucette raged, "I have been trying to get you to open up for years and you let _her_ in! I can't believe this."

Seth's down-turned face quickly grew into a pool of disgust, "With that, you can forget about the hunt tomorrow!"

With a shattered face that hurt rained on, Lucette picked out the knife she held in her pocket and sharply handed it to her father. As she turned away, she vowed not to cry. Any news not-so terrible would not have put her in a state, but she had never been aloud to go on a hunt before. Her father had taught her how to shoot an arrow and Akachi taught her how to skin catch properly. The avidity of wanting to hunt was overwhelming and now that she could not release her impatience, she was enraged and provoked.

Lucette tramped back to her tent where Lucas sat, waiting. Lucas was no hunter but he wished so badly to be. His fear of amphibians and blood prohibited him from leaving the camp site where the fires had kept the frogs away. But the walkers were nearly impossible to avoid with nearly a world's population dead to the infection.

Lucas' flaxen curls wavered in the cool breeze that drifted between them. He knew something was wrong because of the annoyed hand gesture mocking his current existence she threw, "well, I can see you're a wee bit upset there." He mocked her with the smile on his face.

"Dad has un-allowed me to go on the hunt," Lucette's face dropped, "you have no idea how long I've waited!"

"True, but I'm sure it's not all what it's cut out to be." He assured with a kind wave.

Lucette sat on the nearby log placing her head between her knees, "and how would you know?" She questioned. "You can barely look at a walker without going weak at the knees." Lucas' smile impaired in seconds.

"Okay then, I'll leave you to it." He spoke hollowly, rolling his eyes as he strode to his feet.

"Lucas..." Lucette rasped. Even though she saw it in people that she had aggravated them or maybe lightened their spirits, Lucas was a closed book and no one really knew much about him.

Looking over the horizon of the forest trees, the sun had fully set and Lucette's feet ached from the hiking she had done for the harvesting she, Margani and Lola had gone on earlier. She didn't regret what she had said to her father before about Laurain, yet something inside her wished she'd hadn't done it so suddenly, making her shiver.

In the morning mist everyone carried only their sleepy faces and frozen limbs. The temperature was rapidly dropping and the rain had made the air soggy. Lucas had lit the fire warming up water with an aluminium pot on the hook. Margani was folding the extra blankets they must have used over the tent which occupied a non-waterproof top. Everyone had a job to do... except Lucette who stood at the side watching everyone at work. She felt useless.

When Shasta awakened from her sleep, Margani hurried to her side calling Lucette and Seth to join her. But when Lucette arrived to see her sister for the five minutes she would most likely be awake for, her father waved as if the invitation was an offer.

"Hey," Margani's voice vocalised with care and patience. "Do you feel any better?"

A shake of the head answered our dreaded question. We knew she wasn't any better.

Seth and Ludolf packed the guns and arrows while Chuckwudi packed spare bandages that we had left in our last first-aid kit. With the hard stare Laurain fixed on Lucette, it was obvious Seth had told her. Not that it was a care for Lucette but she knew it would come back one way or another. Soggy moss and brittle wood mashed beneath their feet. The hunt would last until dawn but it came early now with the winter nearing.

"What time do we set out?" Lucette asked shoving her pocket knife into her belt. She remembered what her father had said but she still had to try.

Seth shook his head in disagreement of her stupidity, "you're not going anywhere."

"Oh, I thought it was-" Chuck began but was cut off by Lucette arguing her fight.

"This is so unfair, just for what I have said? Pathetic." She pouted in resentment.

Lucette had calmed from her rage with a distaste for her own father's opinion. While her opportunity to go out into the openness of the un-walked woods and search the streets for supplies they needed, she had to sit miserably watching her sister's every breath slip away from her. The woods were beginning to turn colourless in both the trees and in the sky. Rain droplets fell lightly on Lucette's scalp as she whittled the steak with the pocket knife her father had given her. The damp air seethed through her clothes making her shiver with every intention to release her anger. _Why me? _Lucette thought to herself. In the moments it had taken her to realise that it wasn't just her stuck in the predicament of losing everything that mattered to her, Lucas approached her with a kind and meaningful grin. The face of an angel he had. His curls were wet at the tip with rain but soaked at the roots with sweat.

Lucette was sitting on the stump the tent, where Shasta rested, was tied to. Her cargo bottoms receiving all of the wood shedding the carving gave off. "Isn't this a surprise, the great arguing ginger who has won every battle, sitting right before me." Lucas' charming smile chuckled. His brown eyes were consistent with the wood's trunks around us, his skin the colour of honey and crème with a dash of strawberry flush. Lucette envied his smile; so careless and persistent. She could never smile every moment of the day until she slept in a freezing cold tent, dreading the walkers she would have to fight in the near future. But behind that smile with glowing pearls as teeth, was a secret cry of loneliness and frustration awaiting someone or some thing's comfort.

"Ha ha, you're not far from ginger. And my father stood his ground." Her anger strengthening. Last this she needed was a closed book wedging at me to open all my pages.

"Come on-" Lucas began but was cut off by Lucette's _shush._

Lucas' head lolled around looking for whatever Lucette had heard. Nothing was in sight.

"What's wrong?" Lucas questioned worried.

"Did you not hear that? The noise?"

"Probably just a squirrel or a bird."

Lucette shook her head shaking off her thoughts. _Crack_, another sounded. "That's one hell of a squirrel," she yelled pointing at the walkers headed their way. "_Crap!_"

Lucas tripped over the log stack, slicing his leg. His scream carried across the camp alerting Margani and Akachi from their tent. Lola followed shortly after. "Lucas!" Lucette yelled pouring to his side; helping him up with an arm over the shoulder. "Margani, get Shasta, the walkers are headed our way!"

Margani began to wrap Shasta up in the blankets awakening her. "We must run child, the walkers are near." Shasta was shattered. Her energy completely gone. Akachi grabbed the pistol placed near the first aid kit for emergencies; only to be used in dire situations. His first shot missed the walker headed straight for Lola and the second, right in the head. But the noise recoiled through the woods turning many decomposing heads. "Akachi," Margani gasped.

They all turned to look at the walkers heading their way. Lucas began to panic pushing himself away from Lucette telling her to get Shasta. Lucette found her mind trembling in confusion. "Margani, have you got Shasta?" But when she looked back, Margani was out of site. Akachi spun around in realisation that the walkers were behind him. He found himself fighting them off with a stick wrestling their full strength from him.

Horridly, he caught a glimpse of Margani's leg being mauled. She screamed in terror and pain. "Margani!" Akachi wailed to his wife. Adrenaline rushed through his veins lifting the walkers off as if they were feathers. But it was too late.

Margani's glowing skin, was now gushing blood from the rips and tears taken to her flesh. Claws pushed at her flesh pulling it from her muscle-less bones whilst Lola stood, mesmerized by the creatures tearing her mother apart; vulnerable to them. Akachi rushed to his beloved partner yanking the soulless cages away from her exposed flesh, stabbing them right between the eyes without hesitation. He crumbled to her side like a hardened cookie, crumbs falling at every bite.

Lucette rushed over to Shasta, moving her away from the blood seeping into the crushed birch chips and pebbles that occupied the ground. She couldn't tell if Margani's eyes were open but she knew for sure she had to get her sister and Lola to safety. Predictively, Lola reluctantly moved screaming for her mother - rasping her arms to her. Lucette struggled to keep her back.

All of a sudden an arrow shot, slicing through two walker's. "Lucette!" _Thank God _she though to herself. Lucette was so eager to jump into her father's arms. But this was not the time. Ludolf took the others out using the same arrows then wiping them off with the already-bloody rag he kept in a pocket. Lucette had always believed that that rag was some sort of trophy of his; as a memory for all the deceased he shot an arrow at. Relief overwhelmed her, producing a slight smirk. It faded.

Seth approached Akachi, placing a soft hand on his shoulder. The man was shaking – watching his wife's life slip rapidly away was devastating. Tears pouring down Lucette's face made her turn her head away in disapproval of the others seeing her like this. She wanted to be remembered as a warrior, not a blubbery 'little girl'. She glanced at Chukwudi's remarkable features, his coffee coloured skin with a hint of honey to lighten his deep brown eyes. Eyes that now looked confused with a stare into Lucette's tearful face. Ludolf had clicked first, trying to force Chukwudi back from seeing his mother lying on the dirt, dyeing. That's when his yelps began. After a short battle with Ludolf's muscular limbs, he fell to his fathers side, crying in horror. "Mother! Please you can not die like this. It is against your nature. Please." He whispered, terror cracking his deep voice.

"Chuck, take-" she broke off to gurgle on the blood she eventually spat out, "take care of them for me. I will always love you. I will watch you from the stars above." Lucette's cheeks reddened with more salty tears. Those were the last words Margani spoke before she slipped into her never awakening sleep. One she would return to only as a 'soulless cage' as they had used to remember that their loved ones no longer actually accompany their lost body – making it easier to kill them once they had come back from the dead.

Akachi wailed. Lola's head turned from the warmth of Lucette's chest, causing her to witness her mother's lifeless body. She scurried to her crumpled father. More burning tears fell.

Several minutes passed and Seth knew what was to come. He couldn't imagine being asked this question about his wife, but hoped someone would give him the opportunity to do it himself. They had to put the cage out of it's misery. "Shall I?" Seth asked from behind the nestle bush of which they crowded to mourn over their lost camp mate's lifeless body.

"No! I will do it myself!" Akachi blazed into fury so quickly, even Lola wavered. He snatched the knife and pushed it into her skull. Lola screamed but Chuck was there to muffle them with his thick, boarded chest.

The camp was destroyed. Cups, pans, blankets and supplies were sprinkled everywhere throughout the site. Walker's bodies were part of that mess too. Lucette's gut was filled with misery as she painfully watched Lola cry herself to sleep and then witness her brother digging a grave for their mother. Their father hadn't said a single word since the chaos and she could sense Seth was worried Akachi might become an issue.

"We better start cleaning." Laurain spoke. _Couldn't even mourn over someone you practically lived with _Lucette thought to herself, _heartless bitch._

Everyone began to pick up the wrecked materials as Seth aided Lucas of his ankle. Lucas raised his head, steadying it to remove the sudden dizziness. "Wait, where's Ludolf?"


	2. Chapter 2

The Walking Dead - Fan fiction

**Last to Live**

**2**

_Toughen Up Little Bitch_

The sun had finally set and the sky was a deep blue blanket of warmly lit stars. Seth had ordered Lucas and Lucette to lead Shasta, Lola and Masozi away from the camp while he dragged the bodies out of the forest. There was no telling if the gun shot had caught the attention of more than just those bodies. They were located at the heart of the Hardin Creek forest. Obviously, Lucette bickered when her father had denied her refusal but she knew that the girls had to get their minds taken off all this death.

Lucette held Shasta up at the hip whilst they strolled to running creek to clean their mucky hands and faces. The dirt in the forest lifted easily and it wasn't hard to get dirty around there. Good thing that Lucette didn't mind a little dirt under her nails. The atmosphere, yet filled with fog and a cool breeze, was awkward. The always-chattering girl that knelt before her was silent. She hadn't even looked up from her pendent necklace. A tear ripped through Lola's eyes, planting one more seed of sadness and reality.

Shasta smiled as she waved her delicate hand over the streamed water, fingers creating little ripples. "Am I going to die?" She asked unexpected. "Will I turn?"

Sickened by this thought, Lucette looked away – fighting more tears that bubbled. Her sister wouldn't get the chance to rest in peace if she was damned to return as a walker. Someone would have to put her out like they had to with Margani, she squinted her eyes closed wiping the bloody image from her sight.

The air was stilling but there was no sign of walkers. It was probably just the awkward, silent mourning they were all doing. There was nothing that could lighten mood. As so Lucette thought until...

"Oh my God!" They all turned startled. Lucette spun round and round to spy any walkers. "They're everywhere!" He screamed.

"What?" Shasta yelled back, panicked.

"The frogs... is there one on my back?" he questioned shaking his curls.

Lola began to giggle. Then so did Shasta. Lucette hadn't seen them get along in months. Lucette laughed at his frightened expression. _He really is scared of them... isn't he?_

"No need to fear the little critters," Lola yelled from across the narrow stream. "They're friendly!"

While Lucas was too occupied - screaming like a little girl, Lucette snook up behind him. He was stood on the highest point of the hill at the top of the creek – away from the creatures that were probably more harmful to him than walkers. With a made-up mind and an assurance that the creek was high enough that Lucas wouldn't be hurt, she wrapped her arms around him; pushing him into the water. The icy water was cold on Lucette's back. Her stomach spasmed. When surfaced, he began to yell and scream as if he couldn't swim. He began to gurgle on the water that filled his mouth at every bob. But things began to change. Lucas wailed a haunting yell. "Help!"

Concerned, Lucette swam over to him to see if he was all right. She noticed he was attempting to grab onto something, as if he were drowning. "Are you okay?" She questioned if she had hurt his ankle again.

When Lucette dragged him out of the dark water, he stormed over to where his jacket lay. "We should leave before it get so dark that we can't see anything."

"Wait, Lucas!" By the time she gathered all the kids, he had already stormed into the dark trees.

Hours had passed and there was no longer a hint of pink in the sky. It wasn't late though. Lucette hadn't seen Lucas since the incident and she was beginning to worry about what happened. She felt nervous and guilty - hungry and guilty, actually.

Seth hadn't actually caught any meat when he heard the screams, leaving the whole camp hungry. He couldn't leave the camp to go look for some either because Ludolf hadn't yet returned. He wouldn't risk the entire camp just for food they could live one night without.

Everything was quiet, even the crickets weren't chirping. Shasta was fast asleep, curled up in her mother's old blanket. It no longer smelt like their long passed mother but Lucette always imagined it did. The scent of mulled wine and cookies with a hint of ancient perfume. That's what she smelt like.

"Hey," Lucette lightly placed a hand on Lucas' shoulder. He shook it off.

"I don't want to talk," shaking his head, he stood to tighten the rope on the tent.

"I'm so confused. Please tell me what's wrong. I didn't mean to hurt you." Lucette's voice was filled with regret and sorrow. "I'm sorry."

He walked back and forth, acting as if he were busy so she would leave. Then he stopped, bluntly staring at the tree in front of him.

Lucette knew where she stood and felt as if she'd done something really wrong. _But what?_She picked up a stone that lay peacefully on the ground and left, looking back one last time.

That night she replayed the scenario over and over. His ankle was much better; he'd only cut and slightly twisted it. _What did I do? _

Morning sun rose. Little dew drops settled quietly on the shrubbery leaves. Music would have described the atmosphere as country-lost-love. Akachi was still in his tent. Shut away from the rest of the world. Lola and Masozi were devastated that their mother was gone. They never thought that they would actually lose one of the people who meant everything to them.

Lucas still hadn't said word to Lucette and Chuck had noticed. "Did something happen between you two?" He questioned teasingly, smiling as his light African voice scrolled from his lips.

She laughed at the thought but Chuck kept a straight face. It was understandable; he was probably still grieving. "No, I don't really know what's wrong." Lucette goggled at the strongly sinewy chest in front of her as she watched Chuck change his shirt, thoughtlessly. His long torso was no match to the pack of muscles it held.

"Maybe I... accident... accidentally hurt him." She stuttered magnetized to his appearance. He was strong and 'beefy'... _Nice!_ She thought to herself. Her hand pulsed to touch them. She would have if he were Robert Patterson or Johnny Depp. She just liked muscles.

Chuck shook his head away from the hanging branches they passed. Seth had ordered them to head out and find something to feed the camp with – as long as they didn't pass the neon orange tags. They were placed on a perimeter so the elders would be able to hear them in case of emergencies. "I guess this is kind of like the hunt, isn't it?" Lucette giggled. She wanted to slap herself.

"Well, not really. The Hunt is serious."

"_Well_, I think it would be exciting and fun. Kind of like an expedition," she skipped.

Chuck stopped and picked up a log, tucking it under his arm. "No, it is not. You must take the hunting much more serious." His eyes wandered to the ground. "It's not just going out, catching a deer then shooting it in the head."

"I thought that's what the Hunt was." Lucette looked confused again.

In response, Chuck raised his voice. "We kill. Innocent people die then we murder them again. It's not just fun and games. It is what we call the End. The end of humanity."

"Those walkers are dead. Their not people."

"Death isn't the loss of humanity, even if you return deceased and walking. It is when you have killed so many of them that you have lost count."

Suddenly, everything was awkward again. "I'm sorry, I just-"

Chuckwudi grabbed Lucette's wrist in a loose grip. "You have nothing to be sorry about." Lucette's breath became still. Her ginger hair curled in the light breeze that froze her milky skin. She looked down to avoid any more blushing.

They returned back to the camp with a handful of fruits they foraged from the bushes near the creek. "The animals must be going into hibernation. It's getting colder by the minute." Seth spoke when he saw there was no meat.

"I'm going to see Shasta, she hasn't been coping well with the attack." Lucette mumbled with a quick glance at the berries making her face cringe. She never did like berries, especially from forest bushes – too sour.

Shasta was sat up playing with one of her old dolls. The doll's clothing were torn and crusted with dirt, it's hair thrown into an elastic bigger than it's own head. "Hey, how you doing? Are you too cold?" Lucette asked with a concerned look on her cheeks.

"I don't want to die." A tear ran down her soft skin showing her fear.

"Well I guess you have nothing to worry about then."

Shasta's eyes caught my glance as I knelt to sit next to her. "I'm not naïve... I see the way everyone looks at me, including you." Her eyes wandered to the blanket again.

"Honey, if any thing's going to happen, it's not going to you. I promise." Lucette shared a cheerful smile.

Seth stood behind Lucette – palming his face. "Lucette, can we talk?"

She stood with her smile slowly fading away. "Yes?"

They promenaded out of reach of Shasta hearing their spoken words. "You can't put false hopes into her mind like that. She's a child, not someone your age."

"Are you kidding me? You expect me to just give up on her and tell her she _is_ going to die?" Lucette spoke in disgust.

"Of course not! But she must be tough. Without a blind eye to her condition, she will never grow to be independent." Seth snapped.

Lucette gave Shasta an apologetic expression before she stocked away. Fury burnt through her bones making her blood boil. _How could he say that?_ She thought as she arrived at the tent, throwing her bow onto the ground with a huff. She grunted to herself a little more before she crawled into her tent and fell into a heavy sleep.

"You couldn't do anything!" Shouted Seth. His arms were uncovered showing his stub. Lucas sat at the side trying to avoid any eye contact with neither Seth or Akachi.

"Don't pull that shit! You know better than anyone that you could have left at least a gun."

"What? Is this about the rifle? I know I should have left it but it wouldn't have made a difference. She was gone before we even got to the camp."

"Margani didn't deserve this! It should have been me." Akachi's face fell with a loose expression of anger. "It's all your fault she dead!" He screamed.

Just as he swung a fist to Seth's face, Chuck budged in. "Father, this is no one's fault. Mother was taken by the walkers." His voice low and tactical. Only seconds later did Akachi fall to his knees in guilt – horrified by the thoughts that stabbed him over and over again of his beloved partner's flesh being ripped in a messy string of meat.

Lola ran to her father's side to comfort him.

"Without Ludolf and your father to help, we remain very limited with muscle." Seth whispered to Chuck, facing away from Akachi. "And we don't exactly have much help from Lucas. The kid could barely look at the splinter he got last week. So I need you to step up a little more."

"Yes Sir." Chuck nodded.

"We're running low on food supplies and utilities. We need to relocate immediately. Get everyone packed and I'll check the trucks to see if they have enough oil to get us into town. There we can refuel the cars with the oil we find from the cars on the roads."

They separated into the jobs they were given immediately.


End file.
